The Art of a Poached Egg

In May of this year I talked about my obsession with the simple poached egg. My problem is I can't make them very well.  I've watched videos of famous chefs and not so famous chefs gently dropping the egg into simmering/swirling vinegar laced water. I found myself truly lacking in water swirling and egg dropping skills. (It kind of like trying to pat your head and rub your tummy at the same time.) Last month "Bon Appetit Magazine" came up with a clever way of microwaving an egg in a glass container - poof a poach egg requiring no skill. I was a failure at this as well. It was either undercooked or overcooked. While visiting my daughter Katie, in Charleston, SC, I discovered a new tool that is fool proof. Katie took me to a store called Charleston Cooks. (This store sells all kinds of high end kitchen tools, barware, cookware and gourmet food. ) There I found a Poach Pod. This is a flexible silicone cooking tool for poaching eggs, baking and molding. It floats in water during cooking. I paid $12.00 for two - amazon.com has them for a bit less.

To use them you spray each pod with cooking spray and drop the egg into the pod. You then drop them gently into a pan with 1 to 1-1/2 inchs of simmering water.

Cover the pan for about four minutes and you have a perfectly cooked runny poached egg. Now lift the pod out of the water and the egg will slide right out of the pod.

This beautiful egg became part of my breakfast this morning. I made a bowl of creamy grits and topped them with sauteed swiss chard, from my garden and then added the poached egg. This is goodness at its best!

Life is good - enjoy!

I'm Melting and So Is My Cheese

During this economic downturn everyone I know is trying to save a few pennies.  I decided rather than head out to the grocery store that I would rummage through my refrigerator and try to make something out of nothing. In the back of the cheese drawer I found what I was looking for -  two different kinds of Swiss cheese.  Since it has been at least 90 degrees, here in Indianapolis, the smart thing to have made would have been a nice cool cheese plate, but my mind kept returning to Switzerland and fondue. Hot gooey, yummy fondue. Mike, my better half, and I were fortunate to take a trip to the Swiss Alps in 2006.  One day we took a hike through the Alps.  It was a cool 35 degrees, foggy and misty.  After two miles we came to a tiny village called Kleine-Scheidegg. We ate a wonderful lunch of cheese fondue, bread and new potatoes and had a lovely German beer. Just the thing to warm us on a chilly afternoon.

Me in Switzerland

Ignoring the Indiana heat I began my preparation of cheese fondue - something I normally consider a winter dish.  I lifted the recipe from the instruction booklet that came with my Cuisinart Electric Fondue Pot - CFO-3SS.

Classic Cheese Fondue

Makes 6-8 servings

1 pound Gruyere cheese (not processed), grated

3/4 pound Emmenthal cheese, grated

6 teaspoons cornstarch

1-1/2  teaspoons dry mustard

1 clove garlic, peeled, cut in half

2-1/4 cups dry white wine (not chardonnay*)

2-1/2 tablespoons Kirschwasser

Place the grated (I always use my food processor) cheeses in a large bowl and toss to combine. Add the cornstarch and dry mustard and toss to coat the grated cheese completely. Reserve.

Rub the bottom and lower half of the sides of the fondue pot with the cut sides of the garlic cloves. Add wine to the fondue pot. Turn the temperature to Setting 5 (medium) and bring the wine to a strong simmer (bubbling, but not boiling strongly). While stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or nonstick whisk, gradually whisk in the grated cheeses, sprinkling in one handful at a time; don't add any more cheese until each handful is completely melted and smooth. The mixture will slowly thicken. When all the cheese has been added, stir in the Kirschwasser and serve. Reduce the temperature setting of the fondue pot to setting 3 (medium-low). The fondue should just simmer; it should never boil.

*I always use Chardonnay because that is what I always have at home. It tastes just fine to me!

Mary & Mike enjoying fondue - note the shorts!

I'm not sure we saved any pennies by eating the left-over cheese. To compensate for the heat we had to lower the thermostat. Perhaps we will know once the electric bill arrives. Life is good -enjoy!